


Day 13 - Disney (The Little Mermaid - Original Version)

by RinYumii



Series: KLance AU Month - February 2019 [13]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: KLance AU Month February 2019, M/M, Mostly Fluff, One prompt a day, mermaid!Keith, prince!lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-27 22:22:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17775329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinYumii/pseuds/RinYumii
Summary: Basically the original tale of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, but with Keith as the mermaid and Lance as the prince, and a few minor twists to suit the pairing.





	Day 13 - Disney (The Little Mermaid - Original Version)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm really tired -- when it's midnight on AO3, it's 5am for me...  
> I hope you enjoy this little story ^^

The theatre was slowly filling up with the students’ parents and friends, and the cast grew more and more nervous about their performance. Tonight, they would perform ‘The Little Mermaid’ as written by Hans Christian Andersen after months of rehearsal. Backstage, those who would play the main characters were panicked. Especially one.

“What if I mess my lines up?” Lance whined, worry painted all over his face.

“Don’t worry,” Pidge said, script in hand, “I’ll be right there to prompt you.”

He didn’t seem reassured, but didn’t have the time to run away as the narrator gathered the audience’s attention. He explained the play and its purpose, stating the story had a powerful message about a forbidden love, and also informed the audience about the origin of the story. Once the introduction was over, they knew there would be no going back. The audience cheered, eager to see the play start. After a few seconds, silence fell in the hall, and the curtains opened on Keith in his mermaid costume in the middle of the stage. On the right, Coran stood with his script, narrating the story.

“ _It was Keith’s fifteenth birthday today, and his father, the King of the Sea, allowed him swim upwards and reach the surface of the water. Keith had heard many stories about the human world; how they had fish that could fly into the sky — called_ birds _— and how their world looked more green than blue. He was curious and eager to discover all those new things he had been told about by his late grandmother, and once he reached the ocean’s surface, his eyes shone with bewilderment._ ”

“Oh, how wonderful the sky looks from above the surface,” echoed Keith’s voice across the hall, the audience listening to his every word. Lance had always thought Keith had a wonderful voice. He could reach people’s hearts with that voice of his. “The stars look brighter, unblurred by the crashing waves.”

“ _Yes, the world from above the surface was indeed much different than that below the waves. Keith kept exploring and went towards the shore, where children were playing on the sandy beach. He found their feet and toes curious, wondering how it would feel like if he himself had legs instead of fins. He swam back where he had come from, and as he was about to dive into the waters, a wooden ship made its way towards him._ ”

At this moment, Lance and Matt entered the stage from the left, carrying a cardboard-carved boat. The audience chuckled.

“ _Keith followed the boat, hearing laughter coming from the deck. The voices seemed happy as they sang a birthday song._ ”

“Prince Lance,” Matt said, bowing respectfully, “happy birthday.”

“A prince!”

“ _Keith though. He swam all around the ship, trying to get a sight of the prince. At last, the man was seen by the mermaid, and Keith fell in love at first sight. The human looked young, about Keith’s age, and Keith wished he could have been a human too, in order to greet him._ ”

“Oh, my prince…”

“ _As the mermaid longed for the man to touch him, the sky became overcast with black clouds, and the thunder roared. The boat rocked right and left, threatening to be swallowed by the waves. Keith though that, if his prince fell into the water, they would be able to live together, but he then remembered what had happened to the sailors that were previously caught in storms as violent as this one: they all drowned, and reached the bottom of the sea as corpses. Keith didn’t want the same to happen to his prince, so he acted quickly._ ”

Lance had fell to the ground, and Matt had left the stage. The boat was on the floor. Keith dragged Lance to the front of the stage where he started performing some kind of sloppy CPR. Lance didn’t react, and he gently pressed his lips to his forehead, face looking torn.

“Please, my prince! I beg you, wake up!”

“ _But the prince didn’t wake up. So, in a desperate attempt to bring him back, Keith kissed him on the lips…_ ”

Keith’s face went blank as the audience laughed. That hadn’t been planned! Beneath him, Lance blushed and gulped, but tried as hard as possible to remain still, his eyes closed. Keith looked at Pidge backstage who raised both thumbs while smiling. He glared at her and swore to himself he would make her pay for it later. Keith sighed and gently leaned above Lance’s face, closing his eyes, staying into his role. So he did what he had to do: he kissed Lance on the lips, and the audience cheered and clapped as Lance winced. Keith refrained from rolling his eyes. Once the hall fell silent again, Coran kept narrating.

“ _Even a loving kiss from the mermaid couldn’t wake the prince up, and Keith was getting desperate. He thought maybe the prince had died! But before Keith could really find out, the bells of the church chimed, and beautiful girls arrived in the garden. Startled, Keith swam away and hid behind rocks._ ”

Keith did as Coran narrated, hiding behind the props as the girls made their entrance.

“ _One particularly fair girl noticed the prince laying on the ground and ran to him, making sure he was fine. The prince opened his eyes and smiled at her, believing she was the one who had saved him. Heartbroken, Keith dived back into the ocean and to his father’s palace, his home._ ”

The scene ended there. The curtains fell, the audience cheered for more, and the prompts were moved around as the girls and Lance left, and Keith remained alone once more, in the middle of the stage once the curtains rose again.

“ _Keith kept going to the place he left the prince, but could never find him. He felt sad because he didn’t even know his name, or where he lived. One day, his older brother, Shiro, who had been to the surface before Keith, told him he knew about the prince._ ”

“Really? You do?! Then, tell me his name, and show me where he lives!”

Shiro made an entrance, also in a mermaid suit. He looked absolutely amazing in it. In a sarcastic way.

“His name is Lance. Follow me, I’ll show you where he lives.”

“ _And so, Shiro led the way to the Prince’s castle. The place looked wonderful. Green trees grew all around it, and the castle was immense. More so than the Sea King’s. Keith went there everyday, hoping to see the prince alive and well. The only was he could be sure of it was by hearing the fishmen gossip about how kind and gentle their prince_ was. _Once back into the palace, Keith fell upon his older brother, Shiro._ ”

“Hey, Keith. Did you have fun up there?”

Keith sighed. “I wish I could live together with the prince. But he cannot live under the sea with me, and I cannot live in his world with him, for I am not able to stand like he does.”

“Be content with your appearance, my brother. With your tail, you are able to swim fast in the vast ocean. You not being able to stand by the man you fell in love with is the price to pay to have such a gift. Rejoice, brother mine. Much worse could have befell upon you…”

“Later _that night, a court ball was organized in the palace under the sea, but Keith’s mind kept wandering back to Lance. Of course, nothing was as beautiful as all the wonders of the ocean, the colours not as vivid on the surface, but Keith had fell in love at first sight, and wanted to make the Prince Lance_ his _. So, he went in the garden outside and had a thought._ ”

“Perhaps the Sea-Witch can help me get what I desire most of all. I have always been so afraid of her, but I must visit her if I want a chance with the Prince.”

“ _The journey there wasn’t the most pleasant, the horrible witch living far away into the most dangerous place of the ocean. But eventually, Keith got there, and the Witch swam to him._ ”

Haggar entered the scene. The role really fitted her, and she acted amazingly.

“I already know what your heart desires, foolish prince. You wish to rid yourself of your tail in exchange for two props called ‘legs’ and run around like human beings so the Prince Lance can fall in love with you and share his eternal soul with you.” She laughed. “You’ve come at the right time, for I wouldn’t have been able to help you after sunrise. I can prepare you a drink you must swallow by tomorrow morning, when the sun starts to shine upon the shore. No other human child will be as beautiful as yourself, and no dancer will be able to dance better than you, but you will go through tremendous pain. Once swallowed, the drink will split your tail in two as if torn by the sharpest blade, providing you with those legs, and each step taken will make you feel as if walking on a knife so sharp it could make you bleed. If you are prepared to endure all that, I will help you.”

“ _Keith didn’t even hesitate, although his voice quivered slightly. But he thought of the Prince and sharing his life with him, sharing his soul - for mermaids didn’t have souls, but could in exchange live several hundreds of years._ ”

“Yes, I am ready!”

“Just remember this one thing, my child: once you have assumed the shape of a human, you can never become a mermaid again. You can never dive down to your brother and father’s palace, and if the prince doesn’t love you back and swears to be bonded to you all his life while putting a ring on your finger, you will not gain an immortal soul. The first morning after he has married someone else, your heart will break and you will become foam on the water.”

“This is my wish!”

“ _Keith was as pale as death, and the witch’s eyes shone sinisterly as she said her next words._ ”

“But you will also have to pay me for this little favour, and the price to pay is no trifle. You must give me what is most precious to you: your voice. You see, my prince, your voice is the most beautiful of all, and I know you planned to make the prince fall in love with you using this wonderful gift; but this voice you must give up to me.”

“ _Keith felt tricked, and backed up slightly._ ”

“But… if I give you my voice, what am I left with?”

“Your sublime appearance! Your eloquent walk and bewitching eyes! Now, little mermaid, give me your sweet tongue as payment so I can prepare your drink.”

“ _The witch prepared her potion, and once it was done, cut off Keith’s tongue. Now, he was mute, but it was all so he could love the prince, and be loved back. At last, he was ready to live in the human world! He swam to the surface and sat on the shore, drinking the potion made by the witch. Immediately, he felt as if a double-edged sword pierced his body and he fainted on the sand._ ”

Keith dropped on the floor. The lights went off, the audience clapped, and the scene was changed once more. When the light were turned on again, Keith was dressed in fine clothing, his fake fish-tail removed, and Lance was leaning above him.

“ _Keith opened his eyes and immediately recognized the Prince he had fallen in love with._ ”

“What’s your name?” Lance asked. “Where do you come from?”

“ _Keith had been taken inside the castle and was in a sumptuous room, decorated in blue and red, casting shades of purple against the walls in the early morning sun. He simply shook his head at the Prince’s questions, unable to mutter a sound. The prince took Keith down to the dining room where the young mermaid was presented all kinds of foreign foods. Every step felt like he was walking on the sharpest needles and knives, so sharp they could almost make his feet bleed. Sitting down on a chair was blissful._

_“Everyday, the mermaid was made to dance for the prince’s entertainment, for he had never seen such beautiful grace before. Keith suffered silently, basking in the love and attention he was given by Lance, who was unaware of the mermaid’s identity and pain. One day, the prince received the visit from a beautiful princess from a neighbouring country, and Lance recognized her instantly._ ”

Lance’s face lit up in a bright smile as Allura entered the stage dressed in splendid robes.

“It’s you!” he said. “You’re the one who saved me when the waves pushed me up on the shore. I laid unconscious when you found me… I thought I would never see you again.”

“ _The prince had no idea that his true rescuer had been alongside him for many days, and Keith’s heart broke in his chest. The next day, the wedding between the prince and the princess was announced throughout the whole kingdom, and Keith could only watch, helpless, as the wedding unfolded before his very eyes. He ran to the sea, wanting to scream because of the pain both in his legs and chest, but no sound came out. He wanted to cry, but mermaids could not cry._ ”

Keith dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands. There was a splashing sound, and Shiro appeared, his hair completely white, a golden dagger in one hand. He swam towards his little brother, places both hands on his cheeks and kissed his forehead.

“Do not be sad, my brother. For I know how to turn you back into a mermaid. I exchanged the colour of my hair for this dagger you must use to pierce the heart of the prince before the sun rises. Otherwise, you will be turned into foam, and your soulless self will wander for three hundred years in the world, unable to find peace until you help three hundred good children in the world, each good deed removing a year in your wandering. Please, Keith. You have to kill the prince to remain free.”

Keith took the dagger in a trembling hand, and Shiro went back where he had come from.

“ _The night fell upon the kingdom, and Keith went to the Prince and Princess’ bedroom, when everyone was asleep. He watched as the two newlyweds slept, unaware of Keith’s presence. Keith couldn’t do as told. He leaned and gently pressed his lips onto Lance’s…_ ”

Again. He was supposed to kiss his _forehead_ , not his mouth! But Keith obliged, and a few sighs of awe echoed in the audience. Lance didn’t wince this time, and even ran his tongue onto Keith’s lips, teasing gently. When Keith rose to his feet, Lance was blushing and smiling slightly.

“ _The mermaid ran back to the shore as the sun rose in the sky, painting it a faint pink colour. Keith would have wanted it to end another way. But he raised the dagger above his head and jabbed it inside his stomach, preferring ending his own life rather than the Prince’s. He truly loved him, after all. As he sank into the ocean, bleeding out, his body slowly turned into foam, and he vanished out of existence._ ”

The curtains fell for the last time, the audience cheering and clapping. Some sensitive people were sobbing while smiling due to the sadness of the tale, and Keith went directly to find Pidge and make her pay for the last-minute changes in the scenario.

**Author's Note:**

> So, another tragedy, huh... I thought this version suited the pairing more, as it is basically a love letter from the author to another man, the writer having being rejected harshly and knowing he could never be with the one he loved... The background story of the tale reminded me a lot of Keith and Lance's story according to most fans - Keith is in love with Lance but Lance is in love with Allura - so I wrote this.  
> I'll see you tomorrow for Day 14 - Soulmates. (I'm really really excited for this one!)


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